Tag: papillomavirus

It's not unusual to anthropomorphize what we see in nature.
We know it's a tree, but we see human-like attributes. Often it's facial features, which are easy for us to recognize.
But frequently it's something else.
Abul Bandar, from Khulna, Bangladesh, suffers from Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis, an inherited skin disorder, which makes him appear to be turning into a tree. The lesions are a result of the recessive gene that makes him susceptible to cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas brought about by human papillomavirus (HPV).
While the root of the problem is known, there is not yet a treatment for it, although the growths can be surgically pruned. The growths don't hurt or itch much, but the sickening odor makes it hard for other people to be around the sufferers.
While the condition is rare, it's been seen a number of times before. Pictured above is Dede Koswara, an Indonesian who was known as the original "Tree Man", being prepared for his ninth surgery. After losing his family and job, he was able to find employment at a circus. A picture of him posted on the Internet caused a media frenzy that made the condition more famous.
Dede had 13 pounds of the lesions removed with an electric saw, and then chemotherapy was tried to bring the disease under control. The treatment was curtailed when his liver failed, and the lesions returned. He died of liver, hepatitus, and gastric disorders at the age of 42 in January 2016.